diff --git a/openair1/PHY/LTE_TRANSPORT/dci_tools.c b/openair1/PHY/LTE_TRANSPORT/dci_tools.c
index 8df71776667ebd075256fb88a0abca980072f3e5..942386c975fb02fce4efffe18a1529973437983f 100644
--- a/openair1/PHY/LTE_TRANSPORT/dci_tools.c
+++ b/openair1/PHY/LTE_TRANSPORT/dci_tools.c
@@ -2435,11 +2435,11 @@ void fill_ulsch(PHY_VARS_eNB *eNB,nfapi_ul_config_ulsch_pdu *ulsch_pdu,int frame
 
   uint8_t UE_id;
 
+  boolean_t new_ulsch = (find_ulsch(ulsch_pdu->ulsch_pdu_rel8.rnti,eNB,SEARCH_EXIST)==-1) ? TRUE : FALSE;
+
   AssertFatal((UE_id=find_ulsch(ulsch_pdu->ulsch_pdu_rel8.rnti,eNB,SEARCH_EXIST_OR_FREE))>=0,
 	      "No existing/free UE ULSCH for rnti %x\n",ulsch_pdu->ulsch_pdu_rel8.rnti);
 
-  boolean_t new_ulsch = (find_ulsch(ulsch_pdu->ulsch_pdu_rel8.rnti,eNB,SEARCH_EXIST)==-1) ? TRUE : FALSE;
-
   LTE_eNB_ULSCH_t *ulsch=eNB->ulsch[UE_id];
   LTE_DL_FRAME_PARMS *frame_parms = &eNB->frame_parms;